Another rainy weekend here in Sacramento. The weekend was, by all accounts, supposed to be slow. My friends and family have this picture in their minds of property managers like me- usually it involves sitting with my feet up on a desk, greedily counting the rent money as it flows in, effortlessly and never-ending. If only that were the case....believe me, it's not.
Property Management can and does have it's perks- we are not as dependent on a good sales market and typically thrive in a downward cycle, though we do feel the economic pinch when our owners and tenants are laid off. We do not make the big commissions like our sales brethren, sacrificing the "feast or famine" pay scale in favor of a slower, steadier and more stable (usually) business model.
We certainly do get our surprises, however. This weekend was "supposed" to be slow. So far, we have handled 1 unscheduled move in (in order to accomodate a tenant that was being forced out of their previous rental due to foreclosure on the landlord), 2 emergency calls for heat and plumbing, and 1 unscheduled move out wherein a tenant (an inherited tenant that we did not place) was in the process of being deported, leaving the rental unit open and unattended.
Being a property manager means staying flexible, able to respond quickly and effectively regardless of the timing or situation. We were able to gain entry to the unit today, lock the unit to prevent further damages, and turned off the water to stop a leak that was costing the landlord money. The locksmith has been called to change locks, and our contractor will be there tomorrow to commence turnover repairs. This unit will be rent-ready again before this Friday.
A lot can and does happen over the weekend. If you employ a property manager, thank him or her for being on call 24/7. Ours is a complicated profession, not understood by many for the tangled web of responsibilities that it truly is.
Investors Choice Property Management (ICPM) manages 110 single-family units with the care and diligence our Landlord clients deserve, in a manner that has them referring their friends, co-workers and family members. With over 16 years professional property management experience, our business is 95% word-of-mouth referral, we do NO Sales, we do NOT markup repairs, and pay among the highest referral fees in the industry for management accounts. Visit our website at www.investorschoicepm.com today for more details, and find out what we mean when we say:
“Experience Property Management the Way it Should Be.”
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